Interpretive Summary: New and emerging pathogens are a significant threat to US Aquaculture. A novel bacterial pathogen has recently been identified as the infectious agent causing significant loss of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Western North Carolina. The bacteria identified is a member of the Weissella genus and is highly similar to strains reported associated with recent severe disease outbreaks in cultured rainbow trout at commercial farms in China and Brazil. This is the first identification of this emerging rainbow trout disease in the United States and the spread of this pathogen poses a significant threat to rainbow trout aquaculture. Here we report the first genome sequence of this emerging pathogen. Comparison of the genome sequences of the US, Brazilian and Chinese isolates should reveal the evolutionary relationship between these isolates and may additionally provide insight into the recent emergence of this important pathogen.

Technical Abstract:
Novel Weissella sp. bacteria have recently been reported associated with disease outbreaks in cultured rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at commercial farms in China, Brazil and the United States. Here we present the first genome sequence of this novel Weissella species isolated from the Southeastern United States.